WR Antonio Bryant's 33-yard TD catch just before halftime gave the Bucs hope for a comeback
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NE Halftime Report: Momentum Shift?
Oct 25, 2009 - Two first-quarter interceptions by New England S Brandon Meriweather, the first returned for a touchdown, put the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into another early hole on Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium. However, after red-hot New England QB Tom Brady tacked on two touchdown passes, the Buccaneers kept their hopes alive with a late rally, going into the locker room down 21-7.
The Buccaneers intercepted Brady twice in a four-pass span, matching the number of picks he had thrown in his previous 258 tosses. Neither resulted in a Buccaneer score, but QB Josh Johnson got the Bucs on the board with a two-minute rally ending in a 33-yard touchdown pass to WR Antonio Bryant.
The Bucs ran the ball well, with Derrick Ward (eight for 35) and Cadillac Williams (nine for 30) leading a 72-yard half, but New England’s defense made it tough on Johnson. The second-year passer completed just six of 16 attempts for 95 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, though the last pick came on a Hail Mary attempt to end the half.
For the Patriots, WR Wes Welker was a constant threat, catching five passes for 41 yards and a score and adding one six-yard carry. Welker gained most of his yards after the catch, including the 14 on his first-quarter touchdown. Brady’s other scoring pass was also a short throw followed by a long run, as WR Sam Aiken broke a tackle by LB Barrett Ruud near midfield and raced 54 yards for the game’s third score.
The Buccaneers won the toss but got out only to their own 18 for the start of the first drive. Williams’ carried twice, his second a slashing nine-yarder that moved the chains. Johnson’s first pass of the game was a six-yard completion to TE Kellen Winslow on an out, but a broken running play left the Bucs in a third-and-four at the 35. On what looked like a communication failure between Johnson and WR Sammie Stroughter, Johnson’s next pass went directly into Meriweather’s hands for the easy touchdown.
The Bucs regrouped and started their next drive at the 25, with Williams slicing around left tackle for 11 yards on first down. Two plays later, Williams escaped the pocket and threw a dart on the run to Williams for a 19-yard gain on the left sideline. Johnson was hit as he threw on the next play, sending his pass fluttering just out of Bryant’s reach. The Bucs converted a third-and-nine moments later when Johnson alertly threw right over a cornerback blitz and Stroughter turned it up to get the necessary yards. On the ensuing play, however, Johnson threw into traffic and Meriweather got his second pick of the game. Tipping it up and catching it at the New England 15, Meriweather returned the interception 31 yards to the 46.
A slow-developing reverse eventually worked for a four-yard completion to Wes Welker and from the midfield stripe RB Laurence Maroney gained two yards. On third-and-four, LB Geno Hayes reacted quickly to a short pass over the middle to Welker and dropped the receiver a yard short, forcing a punt that Stroughter caught on the run and returned to the Bucs’ 29.
A chop-block penalty on Ward pushed the Bucs back to their own 16, setting up second-and-23. Williams got 10 back on his next carry, but Johnson’s third-down pass was incomplete when Stroughter slipped trying to get back to a pass a little behind him. Dirk Johnson lofted a 41-yard punt that was fair caught at the New England 33.
The Patriots’ second drive began with a well-executed end-around by WR Brandon Tate that got 11 yards. A quick pass over the middle to WR Randy Moss put the ball into Buccaneer territory, and the next play also went to Moss for 37 yards on a crossing route. On first-and-goal from the Bucs’ 16, after a Patriot penalty, Maroney went up the middle for two yards. On second down, a screen pass to Welker worked to perfection and the Patriots doubled their lead on a 14-yard touchdown.
A holding penalty on the ensuing return and a rapid three-and-out had the Bucs punting from their own 11 just moments later and Welker picked up a bouncing kick and raced right back to the Bucs’ 30. A six-yard pass to TE Chris Baker and a one-yard run by Maroney made it third-and-three as the first quarter came to an end. After the teams switched sides, Moss held on to an eight-yard pass as he was leveled by S Tanard Jackson. Two plays later, Jackson came up even bigger, intercepting a pass intended for Moss in the end zone.
At their own 20, the Bucs tried to go up top on first down but CB Leigh Bodden broke up a pass intended for Bryant down the left sideline. After a five-yard run by Ward, Johnson tried to get out of a collapsing pocket but eventually stumbled to the ground for a five-yard sack. The resulting punt pushed New England back to their own 46.
The Bucs forced New England into a third-and-10 but it did little good as Brady escaped a near sack and got off a pass to Aiken. Ruud tried to stop Aiken short of the sticks but when the receiver slipped through the tackle he was able to dash all the way down the right sideline for a 54-yard touchdown.
Down 21-0, the Bucs started again at the 20 after a touchback and Williams ran off left tackle for five yards. After another two-yard run, Johnson tried to find Stroughter right on the 30-yard line but his pass was out of reach and the Bucs had to punt again. Two plays into the next drive, Brady tried to go deep over the middle to Tate and it was intercepted by leaping CB Aqib Talib. Talib returned the pick 23 yards to the Bucs’ 41.
Johnson’s first run of the game was good for seven yards and Ward made it third-and-one at midfield with a run up the middle. Ward was stopped on his third-down run for no gain and the Bucs elected to punt, with Johnson’s high kick fair caught at the 25.
Welker converted a third-and-13 on a short pass, knifing through the middle of the Bucs’ defense, but Brady’s next third-down throw, intended for RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis was incomplete, forcing a punt. WR Maurice Stovall got a hand on Chris Hanson’s kick, causing it to roll out of bounds at the Bucs’ 33.
A draw play to Ward worked for a gain of eight, and the exact same play on second down got 12 more. The two-minute warning arrived with the Bucs at New England’s 47. After the time stoppage, Williams was dropped on that same draw play and Johnson threw incomplete after a lengthy scramble. However, on third-and-14 from the Bus’ 49, Johnson completed a precise, 18-yard out pass to Bryant for a first down at the New England 33. On the very next play, Bryant got one-on-one coverage on the right sideline from CB Darius Butler and Johnson found him with a high pass that dropped over Bryant’s shoulder just as he reached the goal line. The score, with 1:14 left in the half, made it 21-7.
A holding penalty on the second play of the ensuing drive made it second-and-20 from the New England 16. Kevin Faulk got 13 yards on a draw play but Brady was sacked by Jimmy Wilkerson and Stylez G. White to force a punt. The Bucs called a timeout with 24 seconds left in the half, and Stroughter got a 48-yard punt back to the Bucs’ 32.
With 13 seconds left, Johnson couldn’t find any open men downfield so he dropped it off to Ward on the right sideline. After that eight-yard gain, Johnson threw a deep pass downfield as time expired and it was intercepted by Butler.